Myra Kraft
Encyclopedia
Myra Nathalie Kraft, née Hiatt (December 27, 1942 – July 20, 2011) was an American philanthropist. She was the daughter of the late Worcester philanthropist Jacob Hiatt and wife of New England Patriots
and New England Revolution
owner Robert Kraft
.
Born in Worcester, Massachusetts
, she was a 1964 graduate of Brandeis University
. Kraft was listed by Boston Magazine as one of the 20 Most Powerful Women in Boston, She was president and director of the New England Patriots Charitable Foundation and trustee of the Robert K. and Myra H. Kraft Foundation. She served on the boards of directors of the American Repertory Theatre
, the United Way of Massachusetts Bay, Northeastern University, the Boys and Girls Clubs of Boston, and Brandeis University
. She and her husband donated millions of dollars to the Kraft Stadium to promote American football in Jerusalem.
She was known to have intervened in the operations of her husband's teams only once, when shortly after the 1996 NFL Draft
, she learned that the Patriots' fifth-round choice, Christian Peter
of Nebraska
, had a lengthy history of violence against women
. At Myra's insistence, the Patriots relinquished Peter's rights only a week after the draft.
The International Herald Tribune
credited Myra Kraft with “modeling a new form of engaged giving that is transforming the relationship between philanthropist and philanthropy,” and the Boston Globe stated she was "forging a whole new form of engaged giving.”
New England Patriots
The New England Patriots, commonly called the "Pats", are a professional football team based in the Greater Boston area, playing their home games in the town of Foxborough, Massachusetts at Gillette Stadium. The team is part of the East Division of the American Football Conference in the National...
and New England Revolution
New England Revolution
The New England Revolution is an American professional association football club based in Foxborough, Massachusetts which competes in Major League Soccer , the top professional soccer league in the United States and Canada...
owner Robert Kraft
Robert Kraft
Robert K. Kraft is an American business magnate. He is the Chairman and was the Chief Executive Officer of The Kraft Group, a diversified holding company with assets in paper and packaging, sports and entertainment, real estate development and a private equity portfolio...
.
Born in Worcester, Massachusetts
Worcester, Massachusetts
Worcester is a city and the county seat of Worcester County, Massachusetts, United States. Named after Worcester, England, as of the 2010 Census the city's population is 181,045, making it the second largest city in New England after Boston....
, she was a 1964 graduate of Brandeis University
Brandeis University
Brandeis University is an American private research university with a liberal arts focus. It is located in the southwestern corner of Waltham, Massachusetts, nine miles west of Boston. The University has an enrollment of approximately 3,200 undergraduate and 2,100 graduate students. In 2011, it...
. Kraft was listed by Boston Magazine as one of the 20 Most Powerful Women in Boston, She was president and director of the New England Patriots Charitable Foundation and trustee of the Robert K. and Myra H. Kraft Foundation. She served on the boards of directors of the American Repertory Theatre
American Repertory Theatre
The American Repertory Theater is a professional not-for-profit theatre in Cambridge, Massachusetts. Founded in 1980 by Robert Brustein, the A.R.T. is known for its commitment to new American plays and music–theater explorations; to neglected works of the past; and to established classical texts...
, the United Way of Massachusetts Bay, Northeastern University, the Boys and Girls Clubs of Boston, and Brandeis University
Brandeis University
Brandeis University is an American private research university with a liberal arts focus. It is located in the southwestern corner of Waltham, Massachusetts, nine miles west of Boston. The University has an enrollment of approximately 3,200 undergraduate and 2,100 graduate students. In 2011, it...
. She and her husband donated millions of dollars to the Kraft Stadium to promote American football in Jerusalem.
She was known to have intervened in the operations of her husband's teams only once, when shortly after the 1996 NFL Draft
1996 NFL Draft
The 1996 NFL Draft was the procedure by which National Football League teams selected amateur college football players. It is officially known as the NFL Annual Player Selection Meeting. The draft was held April 20–21, 1996...
, she learned that the Patriots' fifth-round choice, Christian Peter
Christian Peter
Christian Peter is a former American football defensive tackle in the National Football League. Peter's younger brother, Jason, also played in the NFL....
of Nebraska
Nebraska Cornhuskers football
The Nebraska Cornhuskers represent the University of Nebraska–Lincoln in college football. The program has established itself as a traditional powerhouse, and has the fourth-most all-time victories of any NCAA Division I-A team. Nebraska is one of only six football programs in NCAA Division I-A...
, had a lengthy history of violence against women
Violence against women
Violence against women is a technical term used to collectively refer to violent acts that are primarily or exclusively committed against women...
. At Myra's insistence, the Patriots relinquished Peter's rights only a week after the draft.
The International Herald Tribune
International Herald Tribune
The International Herald Tribune is a widely read English language international newspaper. It combines the resources of its own correspondents with those of The New York Times and is printed at 38 sites throughout the world, for sale in more than 160 countries and territories...
credited Myra Kraft with “modeling a new form of engaged giving that is transforming the relationship between philanthropist and philanthropy,” and the Boston Globe stated she was "forging a whole new form of engaged giving.”